Orhan Oz, M.D., Ph.D.

Orhan K. Öz, M.D., Ph.D., is a Professor of Radiology and Chief of Nuclear Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and holder of the Wechun Pak Professorship of Bone Physics and the Robert W. Parkey, M.D. Distinguished Professorship in Radiology. He is also Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital, and Director of UT Southwestern's Nuclear Medicine Residency program. His clinical interests include nuclear medicine, radiology, thyroid and musculoskeletal diseases, cancer and cancer imaging, with a particular interest in neuroendocrine malignancies.

Dr. Öz holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, and mathematics from Morehouse College, and a master’s degree in applied mathematics from Clark Atlanta University. After receiving his medical degree and doctoral degree in biophysics from Stanford University, he completed residency training in radiology at UT Southwestern. During residency Dr. Öz was a member of the Clinical Scholars track during which he did a post-doctoral fellowship pursuing advanced training in radiology and molecular biology. After joining the faculty, he received advanced training in proton emission tomography (PET) at the University of California – Los Angeles.

A range of research interests

Although the majority of his time is dedicated to clinical practice, Dr. Öz is highly involved in research. His interests include imaging pancreatic beta cells, imaging of diabetic foot infections, novel imaging probe development, and investigating the mechanisms underlying estrogen regulation of bone mass and metabolism. His research has resulted in numerous publications throughout his career, including the publication of a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) based scoring system to stage the severity of foot infections in people with diabetes.

A career marked by service

Among Dr. Öz’s administrative responsibilities, he serves as Co-Director of the Preclinical Nuclear Imaging Laboratory and the Molecular Imaging Probe Laboratory at UT Southwestern, Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine for Parkland Health & Hospital System (PHHS) as well as Chief of Radiation Safety at PHHS. He also serves on numerous committees, including Parkland’s Radiology Performance Improvement Committee, and UT Southwestern’s Radiation Safety Advisory Committee (past chair), Radioactive Drug Search Research Committee and the IRB Subcommittee on Human Use of Radiation. Dr. Öz’s committee service also extends internationally, including membership on the Credentialing Committee and Scientific Advisory Council of the International Society of Clinical Densitometry.

Dr. Öz is a member of several national and international professional societies, including the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI), Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), Endocrine Society, National Medical Association and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society.

Robust editorial activity

In addition to authoring more than 66 research publications, Dr. Öz is a reviewer for multiple academic journals, including Bone, Laboratory Investigation, European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Endocrine, Laboratory Investigation, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, PLOS One and Cell Chemical Biology.

Dr. Öz is frequently invited to lecture nationally and internationally at numerous events, including conferences in Australia, Turkey and China. He has also received a number of grants and awards to support his research, and has been recognized by his peers for his contributions to the RSNA and SNMMI.